


Summer Lovin'

by idreamof_music



Category: harry holland - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-04-07 08:05:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19080913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idreamof_music/pseuds/idreamof_music
Summary: Toni Thompson met Harry Holland after befriending his brother at an awards show. Tom's group had welcomed her in and practically acted like they'd known her their entire lives. Somewhere along the way, Toni fell hard for Harry, but nobody knows... Except for Zendaya. The group embarks on a summer trip together, one that they'd been planning for quite some time. How will Toni deal with her crush on her best friend's younger brother? Will they come to admit their feelings? Or will her fear of losing her best friends stop her from chasing the possible love of her life?





	1. Late Night Games

Driving up the California coast has always been my favorite thing to do. What made it even better was doing it with friends. Tom and Harry were currently seated in my car, jamming to a playlist made specifically for this road trip. A few cars behind us was Zendaya, Jacob, and Harrison. I peeked back at them from my rear-view mirror, smiling to myself.

I had met Tom a few years back at an after party. He wasn’t paying attention, obviously in deep conversation with someone, and bumped into me, spilling his drink down the front of my dress. I had cracked a joke about that being some way to get a girl’s attention. After what felt like a million apologies later, we had settled into a comfortable conversation, whoever he was talking to was long gone by now. We ended up exchanging numbers and continuing to talk the rest of the night via text. My nickname TeeTee came about thanks to that being what he put me under in his phone.

Suddenly a beautiful friendship had blossomed between us and we quickly became the best of friends. That’s how I met the rest of his inner circle consisting of his co-stars Zendaya and Jacob, his best friend from Haz, and his brother Harry. Sure, his other family was close to him and he did have other friends, but these were the ones I had gotten closer to. 

Most of my free time was spent with Tom or Zendaya. He would occasionally spend a few days with me in Vancouver or L.A. when he could. If he was in L.A, usually Zendaya and I were as well. I had even been to London a few times, so I had gotten to know his family well. Zendaya and I had gotten close out of sheer luck thanks to us living so close to each other in L.A.

Now Tom’s younger brother Harry was a different story. Much like his brother, we had hit off almost immediately and he became part of my inner circle. When his brother didn’t have him hanging around and he wasn’t off doing a project of his own, he would stop in to see me when I’d be filming. Not only was Harry my best friend, but he also became my crush. A crush that I couldn’t tell Tom about out of fear of losing our friendship. Zendaya knew, but that was because she forced it out of me after a small get together he was at.

This trip we decided to embark on was something we didn’t get to do often. The six of us had decided to take a small road trip to a coastal beach house that a friend owned. The guys had all flown into LAX just for this trip. To say we were all excited was an understatement. It was only a few hours outside of Los Angeles, but come on, a trip is a trip. To get away from the hustle and bustle of the city with our favorite people is a must.

Getting off the highway and making a few turns, I could finally see the residential area near the beach. I smiled over at Tom who was still enjoying the music playing through my speakers while playing with his phone. “We’re here, ya know. Just a few more minutes until we get to my friend's place.”

Tom and Harry whipped their heads up from their phones in excitement. I smiled at the giddy men and rolled my windows down to take a deep breath of air. The smell of ocean water mingled with the scents of the flowers and trees lining the roads. It brought a peaceful sensation to my body that made me just as giddy as the grown men in my car. Beside me, Tom was taking a video with his phone, letting out a low whistle. In the back, Harry had his camera out, really when did he not have it out, and a goofy smile plastered to his face. 

I pulled the car to a stop in the driveway of a gorgeous beach house and suddenly the only noise heard throughout the car was our breathing and the music. We were all just so in awe as we took it all in. The beach was just a few minutes away by walking and you could smell the strong ocean scent from the house. From the front, we could see the beautiful double door entry and a beautiful balcony attached to an upstairs bedroom. It was magnificent, to say the least.

Our attention was pulled away by the sound of a car pulling up next to us, a beaming Zendaya waving at us from the driver’s side and Haz and Jacob animatedly talking in the back seat. I patted tom’s leg and motioned to the friends beside us. “Think that’s our cue to get out, don’t ya think?” 

“No, I thought I’d let them drag me out of the car,” he snarked back, a bright smile on his face.

“Fuck you, Holland.” He laughed at my sad comeback and I decided to get out of the car before I thought of something better. The moment I had closed my door, I was practically tackled to the ground by Zendaya. I could pick up a strong scent, but not overwhelmingly so, of coconut coming off her hair and skin as she tightened her arms around my upper body. 

I was always amazed when I saw Z. She was an effortlessly beautiful girl and I always felt that I could never compare to her. It wasn’t a competition, of course, but it just didn’t seem fair that a woman could look that flawless. She would be in the simplest clothes and a bare face, just like she was at this moment, and she’d still look drop dead gorgeous. Her dark curls were so much prettier than my frizzy pink ones currently in a high ponytail atop my head. Shaking the thoughts from my head, I squeezed her back and chuckled.

“Nice to see you too, Z. It’s not like I just saw your face a few hours ago.”

“I’m just so excited to spend the next two weeks with you guys. It’s going to be amazing. I have so much stuff planned for us!” The girl was radiating excitement and energy, how she has so much I have no clue.

The guys had made their way up to us while Zendaya continued to ramble on about her plans. After a side hug from Haz and Jacob, we made our way up to the house. Zendaya was chatting with Harry and Tom about all the popular photo spots around town and how she was so excited to see the scenery and sunbathe. We all knew Harry’s camera would be attached to his face for a good part of the trip. 

My attention was caught by a cool breeze lifting wisps of curls off my neck. I turned my head as if to follow the breeze and caught sight of the sun slowly starting to set. It was beautiful, no doubt about it. Just like Zendaya, I couldn’t wait to get more of the scenery. Something about the way the glow of the sun peeking through the trees just made me want to leave all my worries behind and never leave. I knew I couldn’t wait to get out and frolic on that magical beach. 

The sound of someone’s fingers snapping in my face brought me back to the here and now. “You alright, love?” That accent. The one that belonged to my best friend. I laughed, looking up at him and patting his shoulder.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Got a little too wrapped up in my daydreams, I suppose. Don’t worry about it.” 

Tom stifled his laugh as I brushed past him walking completely into the house. The discussion of sleeping arrangements was in full swing once I finally found myself in the kitchen. Trying not to disturb anyone, I quietly slid in next to Harry who smiled at me and threw his arm around my shoulders. Leaning up on my tiptoes to better reach him, I whispered into his ear “So what did I miss?”

“Tom’s bunking with Haz, you’re bunking with Zendaya, and Jacob and I are on our own.” He shot me a wink before turning his attention to Jacob. “I’ll take the upstairs if you’re cool with it, man.” 

“Sure, man! Guess that means I get the lower level all to myself unless you want to join me, Harrison,” he sent a wink Haz’s way causing Z and me to fall into a fit of giggles as Haz jokingly threw himself into Jacob’s arms. Jacob was always so down with the flow and I really admired that about him. 

I nudged Zendaya’s arm with my elbow. “Hey, Z, show me to our room?” With almost too much excitement, she grabbed my arm pulling me out of the warmth that was Harry’s arm and directed me up to the stairs a few feet away from where the group was stood.

“So ours is the master on the right. It’s got two kings and a kickass tub,” she whispered in my ear so as not to make the other guys jealous. I could hear the gloating in her voice. “Oh, and boys.,” She yelled down the stairs. There was the sound of shuffling and muffled voices, then four heads peeking up the stairs. “Get your crap sorted and we can head to the beach before it gets too dark.” And with that, we were off to check out or room.

A few hours later we found ourselves around a fire pit on the back porch, each of us with a drink in our hands. It had been a slow and peaceful night so far. Most of our night was unpacking our luggage, walking the beach, and then hunting for food. Between the excitement of the night and our drive earlier in the afternoon, we had all decided we were too tired to much. A night of games was the perfect ending to the night. I was sandwiched between the brothers with my head resting on Harry’s shoulder and a hand gripping a glass of wine. How natural this felt. Across from us Sat Haz who was talking to Zendaya and Jacob, arms flailing about as he explained something.

As I was thinking over the events on the beach, I started drifting in and out of the conversation. The breeze was so peaceful and serene as we were walking the shore. The guys were all bullshitting around when suddenly Haz races towards Tom with a hand full of sand and manages to get it down his pants. Zendaya and I stood back laughing as Jacob joined in, getting wet sand and stuffing it in Haz’s pants. Harry was standing off to the side taking pictures of the sunset and the wrestling match, chuckling at the stupidity of his brother and friends. 

What happened next reminded me of those slow-motion moments in movies. The last bit of sun that was shining dropped down hitting Harry in such a way that it lit his form up in a beautiful golden glow. My breath caught in my throat and I couldn’t look away. Deciding I didn’t want to lose this moment, I took my phone out and captured a photo of Harry before he could look my way. His breathtaking smile, the way his eyes crinkled up, and the halo around his gorgeous curls. Oh, it was just-

“Strip poker!”

My head snapped up from its place on Harry’s shoulder, startling the two boys next to me. “Fuck, I’m so sorry. I think I got a bit lost,” I chuckled breathlessly. I looked over at Haz whose look of utter glee slowly fell as he realized he scared me.

“You scared the shit out of me, Toni,” Tom laughs, placing a hand over his heart.

“I’m sorry, Tommy,” I giggled, patting his back. It was all laughs between us after that.

“So, is that a no for strip poker?” Poor Harrison really wanted to get people naked tonight. 

“That is a hard no. Sorry Harrison, but I’m shit at poker and really don’t feel like getting naked in front of you guys,” Z patted Harrison on the shoulder with an apologetic look on her face. It was no secret that the two of us sucked at card games. Haz knew this, he was just being a little shit about it.

“Well, how about truth or dare,” I suggested. The faces around me lit up with mischievous grins. We might be a bunch of twenty-somethings, but we’re still a bunch of high schoolers at heart. “Cool. Harry, you’re the youngest. You can start.” I moved to the seat across from Z to even out our position. Sipping the wine in my hand and humming in pleasure at the taste, I watched Harry shift his eyes across the circle, landing on his brother. Tom looks at him with a confident smirk.

“Truth or dare, bro?”

“Come on, mate. You know me. Dare!” And there it was. Cocky Tom who thought he was invincible. This side of him only came out around people he felt really comfortable with. And maybe when he had a little alcoholic his system to loosen him up. 

He pretends to think about it for a moment, flicking his eyes between the only other guys out here. Looking back to his brother he grins. “I dare you to give Jacob a lap dance.”

I rolled my eyes and snorted at the childish dare. “My God, Harry. What are we, fourteen?” He glares at me as I continue. “We’ve all seen his cross-dressing performance, yeah? I bet he’ll actually enjoy this!” I arched an eyebrow staring at the older Holland brother and smirked at him. I cover a giggle with my hand when Tom glares at me, knowing it will just further irritate the man. 

“Fine. In your underwear.” And suddenly the group, minus a red-faced Tom, howled with laughter. A middle finger thrown in the air by said man, and he was riding himself of his clothing as slow as possible. 

After fiddling with her phone for a moment, the beat to Beyoncé’s Naughty girl started flowing through the speakers. Neither of us could hold back our cackles at the expression written all over Tom’s face. Attempting to ignore the two women laughing at him, Tom begins to perform the most cringy lap dance I have ever seen. Not that I’ve seen many. 

Did it look like Jacob minded what was going on? Not at all. In fact, he looked quite ecstatic at the man gyrating his hips over him. Occasionally Tom would do something funny like smacking his ass, putting Jacob’s hands on his abs, or hip thrusts. The five of us were nearly choking for air by the time he had finished his dance, the music fading out and changing to another upbeat one. Not wanting to be made fun of anymore, Tom huffed and threw his clothes on as quickly as possible and picked the next victim.

It was all childish dares and truths after that. Drink a nasty concoction of multiple liquors, confess your undying love to someone in this group, what’s your most embarrassing sexual encounter, or send a dick pic to the last person you texted. Poor Haz got that one and I feel even worse for the poor lady he’s been chatting up. Haz brought it full circle by daring Tom to stick his hand through the fire. Lame and simple, sure. But it freaked him out enough which was the best part. 

“Oh Harry, my dear brother,” he coos. Well, shit. Harry is in for it now. “Truth or dare?” 

All eyes are on Harry as he grins. “Dare.” We all awaited what we thought would be the most epic revenge dare. I should have known neither of us would get away from his wrath so easily. Between his brother’s silly dare and my teasing, Tom was out for blood. He enjoyed watching people squirm.

“Make out with Toni. For two minutes.”

Z hoots with laughter when I spit out the mouthful of wine I had just sipped. I couldn’t help but shoot her a nasty glare. Turning my irritation towards the older Holland, I scowled at him. ”Do not drag my ass into this, Thomas!” I warned. All it earned me was a chuckle and slight head shake.

“It’s either you swap spit, or he has to strip, bare ass, and run down the street. Which would you rather have happened?”

Letting out a soft sigh, I motioned for Tom to switch spots with me, shooting an empathetic look towards Harry. As I sat down next to him, I placed my wine down on the table and smiled. “I’ve had some pretty bad kisses, I’m sure this will be fine. No big deal,” I muttered. There was a faint blush that crept over Harry’s face and it made his sweet freckles obviously stand out. My god, can he get any cuter?

“Totally not a big deal,” he whispered. There was a level of confidence and a hint of eagerness to his voice.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Tom putting a timer up on his phone. “On the count of three. 1..” I could feel my hands get clammy as I braced myself. “2…” My breath was shaky, and I prayed that Harry couldn’t hear it as I closed my eyes and leaned in. “3!” And suddenly the softest pair of lips were covering mine.

I shouldn’t have been shocked, I knew it was coming, but nothing could have prepared me for how wonderfully awkward yet sweet it would be. It took us a moment to find a steady rhythm and not squish noses too badly. The gentlest puffs of air from Harry’s mouth hit my face as we parted our lips, changing the angles of our heads. The burning heat from his hand couldn’t be missed when he placed it on my waist, the other wrapped around the side of my neck. I could hear soft snickering from the group around us, but I was too far gone to care. I threw myself into this kiss, making sure I’d leave a lasting impression on the younger boy. Propping a knee up on the couch to press myself against him, I tilted my head to the left, deepening the kiss.

The sparks were flying, at least they were to me. All I could hope for was that he felt the same way I did. This kiss, this closeness, it was something I had only dreamed about before now. This was sweeter than any dream I had. A soft moan slipped past Harry’s lips. The sound of his moan and the feeling of his tongue on my bottom lip shook me from my mind and had me pushing back off of him, taking deep breaths. Eyes wide, staring at Harry, I wiped the saliva from my lips and scooted back to my original seating. Peeking over at Harry, I could see the blush on his face as he ran a hand through his curls. 

“Your time was up like a minute ago,” Zendaya chokes out. Her face was pink from laughing and there were tiny tears in the corner of her eyes threatening to fall. I shot her the bird and grabbed for my drink, downing the rest of the contents. 

“Well, Zendaya, I think it’s your turn. Truth or Dare, babe?” I shot back with a smirk. With that, the game continued on, pulling the attention away from Harry and me.


	2. Gorgeous Views

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the gangs first full day of vacation!  
> Toni makes her crush a bit more awkward, unbeknownst to Harry who she thinks is completely oblivious to her feelings... Until she gets hit on by a tall stud at a surf shop. What will happen when they get alone together?

The feeling of cool water caressing my skin made the perfect contrast to the warm night air. The hands wound in my hair made it ten times hotter. Said hands twisted my hair around their fist, pulling my head back for better access. Soft sighs fell from my mouth as a soft pair of lips traveled from my chin to my collar bone. Oh, those lips are so heavenly. Strong hands shoved my body up against the edge of the pool, a leg pressing between mine.

I ran my hands down the chest in front of me, the muscles under the soft skin tensing with each movement. Leaning forward, I suckle the skin right below their Adam's apple, causing soft grunts to slip past the lips near my ear. Suddenly arms are wrapped around my thighs, lifting them to wrap around a sturdy waist. My hands cup a lovely face as lips crash together in a desperate, urgent pace. Tongues dancing as moans spill from our mouths, my hands reaching to tangle in messy curls… Wait, curls?

I woke with an audible gasp, eyes wide in shock. My mind had to betray me like that. I couldn’t believe I almost had a wet dream about my best friend. That doesn’t count as a wet dream, right? “Oh, to hell with you Holland,” I cursed.

Grumbling to myself I throw the blanket off my body and sluggishly pull my body out of bed. Looking around the room, I spot Zendaya wrapped up in her pink blankets, soft little snores coming from her mouth. Giggling to myself, I make my way to the door, being as quiet as possible. As I step out of the room, I can hear a shower going down the hall and voices downstairs. Naturally, the boys would be up. They have a bad habit of waking early during our vacations. Losers, I thought to myself.

At the bottom of the steps, I come face to face with three shirtless English men. Harry is trying to get the coffee maker working while Tom and Haz set out plates and silverware. The smell of something burning draws my attention to the stove where hash browns have obviously been cooking for too long.

“As much as I appreciate the thoughtful, generous gesture of you three cooking breakfast, please make sure it is edible and no fires are started,” I giggle, flipping the hash browns with a nearby spatula.

Haz gave me a quick side hug and steps to my side, charming smile lighting up his face. “We thought you’d like charred potatoes for breakfast. Our apologies.” I batted him away and look around the kitchen to see if anything else needed my attention. I could feel eyes on me and turned to see Harry eyeing his brother’s stolen tee on me. Noticing me looking, he quickly turns away.

“Need help with the coffee, Harry?”

He laughs scratching the back of his neck. “Yeah, that’d be great, thanks.” I smile at him, moving to inspect the coffee machine. I can’t contain the belly shaking laugh as I look back at him.

“Harry! This thing isn’t even plugged in. How did you miss that?” I laugh. The taller man lets out a groan, head dropping into his hands. The sound of his brother laughing rings through the lower level of the house. “Don’t worry. I do stupid shit like this all the time.” I tried reassuring him.

After plugging the machine in and successfully turning it on, I pat his shoulder and give his cheek a small peck, not even thinking about it. I busy myself by turning my attention back to the food on the stove, helping the boys finish cooking.

By the time I was able to salvage the sad excuse that is breakfast, the group had made their way to the dining room and were chattering about our plans for the next few days. Setting the food down, I take my seat as everyone starts serving themselves and munching away happily.

“So, what’s the plan today?” Zendaya questions groggily.

Jacob shrugs and takes a bite of toast. “How about we walk around town. Maybe scout out some places to hit later?” She moves her head side to side, thinking it through, munching on some fruit.

“I was thinking of taking a hike sometime today,” Harry mentions. My ears perk up at this.

“Now that sounds fun. I hear there’s a beautiful trail not too far off the beach. Gives an amazing view of the town. I’m sure it’s perfect for pictures,” I tease. At that, his brown eyes lit up.

“So, we can sightsee, and after lunch go on a hike?” Z offers. The group agrees, Harry and I sharing a warm smile. I watched his lips as they move, mouthing a thank you. A shy nod brings our wordless communication to an end.

We spent the morning hours walking through the closest part of town. Some people stopped to take photos with or just to say hey, but most people either didn’t notice or just didn’t want to bother. The ball cap on Tom’s head did nothing to hide his identity, but I suppose it was more comfort than anything else.

Walking the street arm in arm with Zendaya, the boys following closely behind, we took in the many sights and smells. Our first stop of the morning was an ice cream shop, chosen by Tom. Homemade ice cream at eleven in the morning was the perfect companion as we made our way past various other stores. We had passed by cute storefronts selling handmade goods, a candy shop, even a local art gallery that we ended up checking out.

About two hours into our walk, Jacob wanted to stop at a surf shop. While Jacob and Harrison were chatting with the store owners, the rest of us were walking around looking at what they had to offer. At the back of the store was a beautiful display of hand-painted surfboards. A beautiful teal, floral one caught my eye and I brushed my hand over it, smiling. My gaze shifted towards Zendaya who was browsing through hoodies with the town stamped all over.

“Think they offer lessons?” I wondered aloud.

“If they do, we should totally do it!” Her face lit up like a kid’s. I laughed and made my way over to her. While the boys continued talking, we killed time by browsing through their clothes and trying on sunglasses.

“I noticed you were checking out the boards back there.” I just about jumped out of my skin as the voice appeared behind me. I turned around to be met with a tall guy, noticeably a few years younger than me. He was smiling down at me, green eyes shining.

“Uh yeah. They’re really cool,” I hesitantly said. I force a small smile on my face, looking up at him.

“I’m Braeden by the way. My dad owns the shop.” He stuck his hand out for me to shake, gripping mine tightly. “You’re Toni Thompson, right? I’m a big fan of yours.”

“Yeah, that’s me. It’s nice to meet you.” I let go of his hand, which was gripping mine a little too tightly at this point, and awkwardly look around for my friends. Z spots me, noticing the man behind me, and gives me a weird look. I shake my head, turning my attention back to the tall boy.

“If you’re around town a little longer maybe I could take you out on one of those boards. Teach you how to surf? Or maybe we could hang out, get something to eat?” He was looking at me in an ‘I could eat you right up’ kind of way and it was making me uncomfortable. His height added to the unease. Suddenly, learning how to surf was low on the list of things to do.

“You’re very sweet Brad,”

“It’s actually Braeden,” he corrected me.

“Right, sorry about that. You’re sweet and it was nice to meet you. I always love meeting fans. But, I’m here to enjoy time with my friends.”

Braeden scratches the back of his neck, looking at the floor awkwardly. Before he can say anything, I apologize again and make my way back to the group. As soon as I step away from him, I take a deep breath and close my eyes, shaking off the nerves. Being an actress meant being around strangers, but I don’t do well when they pop out of nowhere. I especially didn’t do well when they would hit on me or look me up and down the way Braeden did.

As soon as I got to the group, Z threw her arm around my shoulders, rubbing her hand on my left arm. “You guys ready to get out of here?”

“Yep, let's go,” Harry answers quickly. I wasn’t expecting to hear a cold tone to his answer and it made me take a small step back. Without looking at me, he steps outside and out of view. Tom made a comment about Harry being grouchy because he was hungry and shared a laugh with the other guys.

Once we had gotten back to the house, everyone’s energy levels seemed to drop. After the light exercise from walking in the heat and our full stomachs from lunch, people just wanted to relax. Jacob threw himself on the couch, conking out almost immediately while Haz and Z made their way to the back porch. Tom grabs a couple of bottles of water from the fridge, tossing one to me and one to Harry before we join the duo outside.

“So, am I going on the hike solo?” Harry questions our little group. He looks around everyone shrugging.

Z kicks her legs up on the table in front of us and takes a swig of the water she stole from my hands. “I’m going to take a long ass bath and then read a book out here. Got to take advantage of this gorgeous view and breeze,” She says, stretching her arms above her head and shaking her hair out. I giggle at her actions and steal my water back from her.

“Sorry, bro. Tom and I spotted an arcade earlier and really wanted to go check it out. Maybe another time, yeah?” Haz looks at Harry apologetically.

Harry smiles at the boys, sending a reassuring smile their way. I tap my finger against his shoulder a few times, trying to get his attention. He looks at me with one eyebrow arched, brown eyes staring me down. I pull my hair behind my ears and look down, suddenly very shy. “I’ll go with you if you’d like,” I offer.

When I look back up, Harry is smiling at me and nodding slowly. “Sure. Let me go grab something from upstairs and then we can head out.” Z winked at me and shot me a thumbs up. I laughed and shot her the bird before making my way through the house to wait for Harry.

Everything I had read online about the trail was right. The hike wasn’t too bad, and it was so beautiful, even with the fresh grey clouds dulling the blue sky. There was a breeze that was blowing my hair around and making Harry's curls fly about his face. The breeze felt wonderful with the California heat beating on us.

For the majority of our hike, Harry was silent. He’d stop and take photos of the scenery around us, clicking his tongue at the ones that weren’t the greatest. His look of concentration was probably the cutest thing ever. My heart ached each time he’d smile. It felt weird being alone with him, my mind kept wandering to my dream.

“Hey, can you help me with this shot?”

I blinked my eyes and looked over at him. He was looking at me expectantly, one brow arched and a grin on his face. “Uh, yeah, what do you need me to do?”

“Just lift your arm up and space your fingers a bit like this,” he demonstrated with his own hand. When he was pleased with the way my pose looked, he stepped back a few feet, camera up to his face.

The realization hit me now. He was trying to make it look like I was holding the sun between my fingers. I smiled at the thought and shook my head. I let my eyes close, focusing on the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below us. A deep breath in and the salty smell of the water enveloped my senses. This is so peaceful, I don’t think I ever want to leave.

The breeze was picking up, blowing my hair around my face. The strands of hair tickled my cheeks with each movement causing a smile to form on my face. Through the silence between us, I could hear the shutter from his camera stop briefly.

“Ya know, I expect photo cred for this if you post it. Its hard work being a hand model,” I joked.

Harry let out a hearty laugh, almost dropping his camera. I put my arm down, smiling at the young man in front of me. “Don’t worry, photo cred is all yours,” he managed to breathe out.

As I unlocked the door to our temporary home, Harry picked up the bag I placed on the ground. On our way back to the house we had stopped at a little market in search of food for dinner. We had spent so much time on our hike that it was nearing dinner time by the time we were finished. Feeling bad for the friends we left behind, we decided to make up for it by cooking for them.

I watched as Harry placed our bags on the counter, and pulled out some dishes, helping him prepare for dinner. Taking a step into the living room, I notice its quiet and not a person is in sight.

“We’re back losers,” I yelled. I walked back into the kitchen, grabbing some veggies from the bags and proceeding to wash them. The sound of bare feet pounding on the wood floor echoed through the house and a moment later Haz and Z ran into the kitchen. I looked up from the counter and smiled at them. “Where’s the other dork? He didn’t get lost, did he?” Z laughed at that until Haz nudged her with his elbow, effectively shutting the taller girl up.

“Hey Harry, your brother is outside talking to your mom. You should go say hi,” Z suggested. I looked at her weirdly and then looked over to Harry.

“Can you take care of the food? I’ll help you when I get back in,” he apologizes. I nod, giving him a little smile. Harry rubs my shoulder before heading outside as I turn back to the groceries we brought home. The entire time I could feel their eyes watching me.

“If you have something to say, then say it,” I sighed. From the corner of my eye, I see Haz take his phone out of his pocket and fiddle with it. “What are you doing, dude?” He slides his phone to me and shares a look with Zendaya.

“I didn’t know he thinks of you like a gorgeous view,” Haz teases.

I looked down at the phone in front of me. My face was lit up in a photo shared by Harry’s Instagram account. My hair was blowing in the wind behind me with rays of sun peaking through. My eyes were closed, and my nose was crinkled up due to the huge smile on my face. It was clearly taken when I was posing for him. Sure enough, he captioned it ‘Gorgeous Views’ with a cute little sun emoji. My heart nearly leaped out of my chest.

“Mom says hi, Toni!” The voice of Harry’s accompanied by Tom and Jacob startled the three of us in the kitchen. Harrison grabbed his phone from my hands and shoved it in his pocket. We probably looked like a bunch of kids who just got in trouble, as we shuffled around the kitchen.

Leaning into Haz, I whisper threatening in his ear. “We’re discussing what you know and how you know it later on.” Straightening up and putting a smile on my face, I clap my hands together. “All right let’s get cooking.” My mind was now racing a million miles an hour. Thoughts of Harry possibly feeling anything for me suddenly invading my thoughts. Could this crush be a mutual pining? Dear Lord, kill me now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tonight got a little messy due to some homework being due, BUT I will try my hardest to keep on time.  
> Thank you for your views and I hope you all enjoy this chapter!  
> It's not the best, but hopefully, the next time you see these guys, it'll make up for this weeks chapter. The next chapter will skip a few days, so just a heads up on that one!  
> Please don't hesitate to leave a comment with suggestions on how to better this story, what you'd like to see, or just what you liked about it!


	3. Game on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once Toni starts flirting with Harry, it's really hard to stop. His obvious flirtation back makes it even harder. Zendaya can't stop teasing her for almost kissing him, and the group can't stop teasing her because, well, she's Toni.

There was something almost bewitching about running along a beach right at sunrise. The town silent, most of its occupants sleeping. The peace and quiet made it easier to hear the waves crashing against the shore. I felt at home in places like this. But nothing could have made it better than the curly haired boy beside me.

Harry and I were sat on a large boulder, watching the enticing waves. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail before the sweat could cool and make it stick to my back. Glancing at Harry, I smiled, finding myself in awe at his effortless charm. Curls slightly damp, the breeze blowing them around atop his head. Naturally, he had left his camera back at the house, and was taking photos with his phone instead. A look of concentration took over his features.

With a grin on his face, he turned his phone towards me, successfully capturing my shocked face. Startled, I look away, hiding my face in the crook of my arm. “Ya know, it’s not nice to stare, darling,” Harry laughed.

“Oh, shush you,” I playfully snapped back at him. A smile graced my lips as I nudged his shoulder a bit, only to have him dramatically bounce back into me. His body hit mine with enough force that I lost my balance. A last-minute grab at his arm to try and steady myself ended with the two of us tumbling over the edge and into the sand.

When we hit the ground, I fell into Harry’s side, the two of us laughing like maniacs. My eyes wandered across his form as he laughed. They landed on our entangled legs and that’s when I realized the position we had fallen into. We were chest to chest, Harry's arm behind me, cradling the back of my head. Flushed from our proximity, I scrambled away from his arms. Before I could get far, Harry yanked me forward by my arm.

Amid the commotion, I found myself in an even more compromising position. Harry had turned when he pulled me forward, pulling my body onto his. To ground my balance, I dug my hands into the sand on the sides of his head, blushing as I peered down at him. Beneath me, Harry fell silent, his brown eyes gazing up at me with a new intensity.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, resembling a nervous teenager. “You were going to hit the rock. Didn’t want you hurting yourself.”

“I was just moving away a bit, Harry,” I replied gently. “Sorry to worry you.”

Harry shook his head, one of his hands coming up to brush some stray hair back. He smiled up at me, shyly, intimately. A smile I had never been on the receiving end of before now. One that I had seen him give another girl once before. “You look good like this.”

I snorted, raising myself to a sitting position, hands on his chest for balance.  To others, this would look highly inappropriate, but that was the last thing on my mind as I sarcastically shot a reply at him. “What, on top of you?”

“I meant flustered, but yeah. That too.”

There was always this flirtatious spark to the two of us, but neither of us had taken it far. Maybe this is what Zendaya was always talking about. An obvious spark between us. Between the sinful smirk on his face and the wink he shot me, I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks.

 I found myself lowering my lips down to his, eyes fluttering closed, a trance-like feeling taking over. There was a sharp intake of breath that rang in my ear as I leaned further down. His hands found their place on my lower back, sticking to my skin from the tacky sweat on his palms. They were hot, something I was painfully aware of.

Before our lips could touch, my ringtone started to play loudly in our ears. I threw my body off his, hyper-aware of our surroundings and what we were previously doing. Harry pulled my phone out from underneath his body and handed it to me. It had stopped ringing before I could answer, a missed call from Harrison flashing across the screen. A quick text back to him and we were headed back to the house, awkward silence enveloping us, and proper space between us.

 

“Wait, you mean Harrison interrupted possibly the best moment of your life?” Zendaya hissed.

I swatted at her arm, looking around to make sure nobody could hear our conversation. “I wouldn’t call it that, but yes. He did interrupt something…” I tried to think of the right word for our near kiss but couldn’t find it.

A loud came from my mouth as I replayed this morning’s events. I slid my fingers under my sunglasses, rubbing at my eyes as if I could physically wipe away the memories. “Anyways, it was probably just a heat of the moment kind of thing. Best that he interrupted it before I could do something stupid.”

Zendaya frowned, picking at the sandwich in front of and digging her toes into the sand of the beach. The beach was quite occupied, many large groups laying around sunbathing or floating in the water. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining and heating up more than this morning, but a cool breeze was starting to settle in a bit. The waves crashing into the rocks and flowing up to tickle the toes on the shore, it was serene.

After a lazy morning at the house, the six of us had decided to picnic on the beach for a late lunch. The guys had wolfed their food down and made a beeline for the water. Z and I had hung back to get a bit of a private chat in. We were talking about the impending doom of our vacation ending, both of us would be pretty busy after this. But mostly we gossiped about men, one man in particular.

“You don’t think maybe he’s actually into you? He was probably dying for a moment like that.”

“Doubt it. He probably just sees me as an older sister, Z. I’m not his type, dude.” I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. Scanning the beach for our group of friends, I spot Harry chatting up a tall, pretty redhead. “See, Z. She’s way more his type. Tall, slim, and so pretty.”

She punches me in the shoulder making me cry out in pain. I glare daggers at her as I rub my wounded shoulder, cursing under my breath. “You’re a complete idiot,” she groans, rolling her eyes. “Do you not realize how gorgeous you actually are? You constantly put yourself down, comparing your looks to others. There are tons of guys who are probably into you. I mean, that Braeden guy was super into you. And I know I’ve seen Tom and Harrison check you out a few times.”

I cringe at that visual and try to shake it away. “That’s gross, stop it.” I stretch my legs out in front of me, watching Harry and the redhead laugh about something, her hand upon his arm. Z notices and smacks my leg, jumping to her feet and extending a hand out to me.

“Ignore it, he’s not into her. Now, let’s go have some fun with our boys, huh?” I sigh, but take her hand, letting her pull me to my feet. Throwing her arm around my shoulders, she leads me to the water. I notice our trio of friends missing.

“Think they drowned?” I giggle. Zendaya laughs, shaking her head. A ‘you’re bad’ is mumbled from my friend as we stand at the shore.

Looking back towards where Harry was, I notice the girl handing her phone over to Harry, the man taking it happily. I bite my lip and look back at Zendaya whose chest was already deep in the water. She splashes water at me as I slowly make my way in, momentarily forgetting about the duo on the beach not far from us.

I swear, the minute girls are around, all guys act like a bunch of children. As I waded into the water, now just barely reaching my midriff, a form jumps out and grabs me, dragging me under the water. The scream I let loose was muffled as I was submerged. Slowing my heart rate down once the initial shock wears off, I reach around for the hand that grabbed me but came up empty. Those assholes dragged me under and ditched.

Jumping back up and coughing on the water I had inhaled; I spot the retreating form of the oldest Holland and Harrison not too far behind. Jacob was standing a few feet away from me, cackling next to Zendaya.

“Are you ok?” I look in the vicinity of the yelling, Harry looking back at me as he walks back to our group. Behind him is the redhead walking back to her group on the other end of the beach, wildly waving at her.

“I’m fine, but I’m going to murder your brother!”

Tom, just barely to the shore, looks back at me shocked. “Me? What did I do?”

“So, it was Haz then?” Haz shakes his head, pointing at Tom. “Thought so.”  I flipped him off and floated over to Zendaya and Jacob.

“I’m so sorry, Toni. They talked me into it, it was all their idea,” Jacob apologized. I would have believed him had he not been biting back a laugh just a moment earlier.

I sneered playfully at Jacob before turning to watch Harry slowly make his way back into the water. His curls were starting to dry already, clinging to his forehead. I was probably staring more than I should have, so I looked away. Busying myself by stating a conversation with Zendaya, I missed the look from Tom, who had to notice me ogling his younger brother. I also missed the smirk plastered on said brother’s face as he swam over to us.

“So, Harry, you finally get a date or something?” Harrison teased the ginger.

Harry was quick to shake his head in response. “Nah, just a fan who wanted to chat a bit.” I smiled to myself, earning a light punch in the arm from Zendaya when she sees it.

After a bit of chatting and floating around, the guys' interest was caught by a game of volleyball. Whether it was the bikini-clad ladies or an actual interest in the game was beyond me. Whatever it was had Tom and Jacob heading over to join in. Zendaya had disappeared a moment earlier, leaving me with Harry and Jacob.

Floating on my back, eyes closed, I listened to the two of them chatting. The slow rocking motion of the water had me drifting off, not noticing the sudden silence between the men. The screaming and laughing from others on the beach drowned out the snickering from Harry and Jacob. There wasn’t an inkling or sense of doom, there was just silence.

And then I was flying through the air.

I screamed as I fell into the water a few feet from where I was thrown. Landing with a large splash and a sharp sting hitting my skin, I let myself sink down a bit before finally swimming up for air. When I broke free from the water, I whipped around to look for the boys, pushing my wet hair out of my eyes. They had run off to join the jerks who had left earlier.

“Screw you, Harry! You Holland boys are such assholes,” I screamed at him, my middle finger standing proud in the air. The only reaction from him was a smile before he high fived Jacob.

 

“Why do the boys always tease me? They never pull that shit with you,” I whined to Zendaya. Leaning up against the snack counter, I bit the tip of my straw watching the crowd around us.

“That’s because they know I’d kick their asses. You, you look tough, but your soft inside and out.” She smiled at me before patting my head. Damn that height difference. I narrowed my eyes at her but smiled when she arched her brow and put a hand on her hip.

“They’re such jerks,” I mumbled a tone of humor to my words.

We sat there in silence for a few moments until Zendaya opened her mouth and surprised me. “So, this guy asked me out earlier.” I snapped my head around, getting a look at her.

“I’m sorry, what? Who? When?” I stared at her in shock, racking my brain for when this could have happened. Was it Tom? Were the Tomdaya fans finally getting their wish? She quickly shut that down though.

“When you were too busy being thrown around by Harry, I was chatting up a very cute guy. His name is Ty, he’s a college student playing basketball, and did I mention he’s hella cute?” Zendaya hides a smile as she takes a sip of her drink. “He’s taking me out to dinner tomorrow night.”

“Damn, Z. God, I’m jealous. I want to go on a date with a cute guy too.” I giggled at her, earning an eye roll from Z.

“Well if you’d just confess your desire for lover boy, you could be getting some too.”

“I meant a date, Zendaya. I don’t need to get laid, smartass.” I knocked my curls behind my back and bumped shoulders with her.

“I’m sure he’ll check both boxes for ya.” She gave me a flirty smile and a thumbs up, making me laugh loudly.

“Does someone have a secret boyfriend that we don’t know about?”

I glared at Jacob, who came strolling up with the other guys, holding popcorns and drinks. Harry handed one to Zendaya and gave me a small wink, shaking his towards me. I gave him a weird look before turning back to Jacob.

“No, Jacob. No boyfriend- “I started but was cut off by Zendaya’s hand smacking my shoulder and gripping it tightly.

“But she’s definitely got the hots for someone.” She nudged me, bumping me into Harry.

I gaped at her, not believing she was literally about to sell me out. The boys were staring at me, waiting for clarification. It was making me nervous. My eyes shifted between Zendaya and Tom, then over to the other three men. “Zendaya’s got a date with a random dude tomorrow.” I flipped Zendaya off and walked away. I heard her stuttering over her words right before they were out of my sight.

As I walked down the hall searching for the number of our auditorium, I heard loud steps behind me. Looking back, Harry’s figure was walking towards me quickly, the rest of the group not too far behind. A few more steps and he had caught up with me. A long arm was thrown over my shoulders holding me close to his body.

I spotted our auditorium and directed the taller boy towards it, pushing him in front of me. We filed into the dark lit room to find it nearly empty. I gripped Harry’s arm, pointing at a row of seats in the middle of the room. The perfect angle to watch a movie. Harry took my free hand and pulled me up the stairs, guiding me to our seats. Thanking God for the poor lighting, I checked around us to make sure nobody saw.

“So, remind me why we decided on a horror flick. We do realize Toni is going to be in someone’s lap by the end of it, right?” Zendaya laughs as we settle into our seats.

“What is this, pick on Toni day?” I grumbled.

Harrison looks over at me from his spot next to Zendaya. “You can hop in my lap anytime, TT,” he teases. I let out a girly giggle and blew him a playful kiss.

Harry nudged me, grabbing my attention. I raised my brow at him, questioning what he wanted. He held the popcorn out to me and sipped at his drink. “I figured we could share. I know neither of us will finish one on our own.” I smiled, thanking him before sipping at my drink. I could hear Zendaya moaning about Harry insinuating she was fat since she could handle a large popcorn on her own. It made me laugh a little.

Harry leaned closer to me; lips pressed against my ear. “My lap is always free for you to occupy. Just say the word.”

I choked on my soda, some of spewing out of my mouth. Ignoring the hard stares from my friends, I tried coughing to clear it out. Harry’s hand pounded on my back as he muffled a laugh with his other fist. Once my lungs were cleared, I waved him off, looking up at the movie screen.

The lights started to dim further as the show started, shutting our chattery group up. Leaning my head on Harry’s shoulder, I grabbed some popcorn and popped it in my mouth. The graphics for the Coke ad grabbing my attention for the next couple of minutes.

Throughout the movie, Harry would lean over and whisper something funny in my ear. I’d stifle a laugh and try to ignore him as best as I could. His hand, hot on my knee, made me hyper-aware of how close we were actually sitting to each other. His thumb started rubbing circles on the skin in the crook of my knee. I stared blankly at the screen, but from the corner of my eye, I could see Harry watching my face. I was in such a trance I had forgotten the number one rule to watching horror flicks: Do not zone out.

All of a sudden, a figure jumped out on screen. Not expecting it, I ended up screaming and nearly jumping out of my seat. I could hear Zendaya’s laughing as the group and those around us were staring. I hid my face in my hands, calling out a quick apology. My sudden movement had shifted Harry’s hand further up my leg to my inner thigh, his grip tightening out of fear at my outburst. Attempting to break it free, I shifted my legs a bit, but with no success.

To my left, I spotted Zendaya staring at the hand on my thigh then shifting to look up at me. A waggle of her eyebrows had me laughing then choking on the soda I had just sipped from. That was the second time tonight, what a loser am I?

Harry looks over at me with a look of concern on his face. “You ok, darling?” he whispers in my ear. Throat successfully cleared, I nod and bite my lip, turning to banter back.

“I’m fine, Harry. Don’t you think you should move that hand of yours though?” I whispered back to him. I narrow my eyes at him when he shows me a delicious smirk.

“I’m sorry, does this bother you? Am I making you flustered?” I shake my head, giggling at him. Our faces were so close that I could feel his breath heating my skin.

“Now, now. Don’t start something you can’t finish, Holland,” I warned.

He looks at me, mock hurt taking over his expression. “Who says I can’t finish it?”

Eyes wide, I look back at the screen. My breathing is heavy, my mind reeling. Game on, Harry. Game on.

 

 


	4. Strawberries and Wine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When everyone has plans tonight, what is a girl to do? Harry swoops in and decides to take Toni along to a "night shoot" of the beach. But Toni senses it could be something more than just a hangout. Nobody brings wine and strawberries to a hangout, right?

I heaved a sigh, starting to get frustrated. Jeans, shorts, graphic tees, oh and more shorts. I flipped through the items on Zendaya’s bed, piled up in a sea of fabric. Unimpressed was an understatement. Sure, she didn’t plan for a hot date during our vacation, but she could have at least packed some kind of variety. You never know when you’ll need a cute little number. She’s so fashion forward, I expected more for sure.

My hands stilled on a denim skirt, one I had seen before. It was part of her old collection, the same one could be found in my closet back home. I laughed to myself and tossed it to the side, busying myself by rummaging through the clothing for something to go with it. As I was throwing things around, Zendaya walked in observing the chaotic state of her bed.

“What happened here?” She propped a hand on her hip and pointed to my mess.

“You asked me to help you find something to wear. That’s what I’m doing.” I looked around, scratching the back of my neck. “Sorry, Z. I’ll put everything back when I’m done.”

Zendaya’s eyes ran over the bed, landing on the skirt I pulled aside. She held it up, inspecting it. “Good choice. What did you pair it with?”

I thought for a moment, chewing on my bottom lip, my eyes scanning the piles of clothes. I pick up the closest shirt, a maroon crop top with a breast pocket. Handing it over to her I smile. “I think I have a denim jacket you can wear with it. Has a bunch of patches and pins on it so it’ll stand out a bit.” I bit my lip and watched for her reaction.

She nodded, giving me a huge grin. “Cool. Thanks for helping me, T.”

I brushed it off, scoffing, and started picking up the mess I had made. “Like you actually needed it. Usually, I’m the one coming to you for help.”

Zendaya shrugged and ignored my sarcastic response. “So, I probably won’t be back until pretty late. You get the room to yourself for a bit.” She suggestively wiggled her eyebrows at me, laughing when I looked at her mortified.

“You are absolutely unbearable, Zendaya,” I laughed, throwing a shirt at her face. She caught it and folded it back up before checking her phone.

“I should probably get ready for my cute date. Don’t want to look or smell like a hot mess.”

I shooed her away, watching her disappear into the bathroom. A click sounded from the lock when she fully closed the door, and I sighed. Hands on my hips, I turned towards the bed and surveyed the full extent of my mess. Being as quick and neat as possible I started putting everything away, making sure they were where they originally came from. Zendaya would have my ass if I didn’t.

About twenty minutes late, the sound of a blow-dryer was all that could be heard from our room. Zendaya still in the bathroom, I laid on my bed scrolling through social media when a sharp rap on the door jamb cut through the whirring noise. I looked over to see Harry standing in our doorway, cheeks flushed, and his hand stuffed in his pockets.

“What’s up, Holland?” I put my phone down and sat up, watching the nervous fidgeting he was doing.

“You got a minute?” He asked, taking a small step forward.

I nodded and patted the spot next to me. Harry walked in slowly, head turning towards the door as the blow dryer stops momentarily, only to pick back a moment later. He looks at the floor as he sits on my bed, feet barely touching the ground due to the height of it. “Something on your mind, Harry?” I ask quietly.

Harry looks up, lip caught between his teeth. “Are you doing anything tonight? The guys are going to a bar and grill place to watch a soccer game, but I was hoping to take some photos of the beach tonight. Found a good place to do it. I was wondering if you’d want to come with. Maybe help me out?” He rushed out the last bit of that and I almost didn’t catch.

I smiled at Harry, slightly confused and slightly shocked. “Yeah, I’m down to go to the beach tonight. Wanted to go swimming anyway.”

Harry let out a sigh of release, a hand slapping on his chest. “Ok, awesome. I’ll cover dinner, so don’t worry about that.” He gave my knee a short pat and stood up, stretching his hands out to his side. “We’ll leave about eight, once everyone is gone.” With that, Harry left, leaving me stunned on the bed trying to process what just occurred.

“Why do we need to wait until everyone is gone?” I whispered to myself. Suddenly my eyes widen, and my heart literally stops for a second. Is this a date? Maybe Harry was seriously into me with all that flirting. Maybe we started this cute little game and now he’s taking it a step further.

I shook my head, slapping my cheeks to gain some sense. There was no way that’s what this is. I was just thinking too much. He was joking last night, and he was not trying to take anything a step further. I fell forward on the bed, burying my face in my pillow before shrilly screaming into it.

 

The time seemed to go by so slow as I waited for the rest of my friends to leave. It was a never-ending sound of ‘tick-tick-tick’ coming from the clock as I lounged on one of the couches in the living room. Every glance at the clock left disappointment in my heart. I was antsy, ready to get going and spend a little alone time with Harry.

I was pretending to read a novel I had been meaning to get to for some time but never had the chance. The tv was acting as background noise, turned on in hopes of getting my mind off the slow trio getting ready in an upstairs bedroom. My book was hiding the fact that I had done my makeup once Zendaya had left for her date about forty minutes ago.

Finally, three sets of footsteps sounded on the stairs, making their way down and into the living room. A strong scent of cologne was wafting in from that direction, my nose stinging a bit. I peeked above my book, watching the two English men tidying up their hair, and Jacob fixing his shirt. Harrison looked over at me, a smirk gracing his lips as he notices my freshly done up face.

Sticking my tongue out at him, I cover my face with the book before clearing my throat. “Someone bathed in cologne tonight, didn’t they? I sure hope whoever it is isn’t trying to get lucky. You might just kill a lady with that smell. Or guy, if that’s what you’re into.” Tom swatted my head with one of his hands, a chunky ring catching in my hair and pulling a few strands. “Ow, you fucker,” I whined, rubbing my scalp.

“Be nice, Toni. The cologne is new. I didn’t think it’d be so strong. Also, if anyone is getting laid tonight, its Z. Did she tell you not to wait up for her as well?”

I nodded my head, a smirk on my lips. “She did say she'd be in late tonight. Good for her though. The girl needs to let loose.”

“You sure you don’t need anything, Toni? You can still come with us if you want,” Jacob offered. I smiled but shook my head at him.

“Alright, well we’ll be off then.” Tom bent down, giving a brotherly peck to my hair. “You smell good by the way. Smells like cotton candy. And don’t think I didn’t notice the makeup,” he whispered in my ear.

I peered up at him, my book falling to my chest. Busted. “I was just trying something new,” I defended.

“Looks good.” He smiled before leading Jacob and Harrison out of the room.

Once I heard the door slam, I ran up the stairs to mine and Zendaya’s room. Tossing my book on the bed, I grab my jacket and sandals and check the mirror one last time. Satisfied with my appearance I decide to check Harrys room to see if he was ready to go. Not finding him there, I return to the living room to kill some time.

After a bit of only partially watching the b-grade horror flick on the tv screen, I impatiently threw my hands in the air and get to my feet. I decided to grab some water from the kitchen, just to do anything that wasn’t dwelling on Harry’s absence. As I sip from my glass, I look around, spotting our picnic basket from yesterday sat in the center of our kitchen counter. Curiosity got the best of me and I go to peek inside of it, only to be stopped by a warm hand wrapping around mine.

I turn around, looking up slightly, Harry peering down at me. “That’s a surprise, darling.” I groan but move away nonetheless. “You ready to go, Toni?”

“Yeah. Got your camera?” He pats his camera bag hanging over his shoulder. “Cool. Let’s get going then.”

I followed Harry out of the house, and as we step out of the door, what is left of the sunshine hits us, creating a golden glow. Within the next half hour, the sun would set, leaving Harry and me on a secluded part of the beach. Just us. Alone. Oh God, the anxiety started to hit me just thinking about it.

Harry and I made small talk as we walked down the path to the beach. It wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short either. At some point I had to take off my sandals, the sand getting trapped in them tickling my toes. My arm wound in one of Harry’s, his other arm holding the picnic basket. It felt romantic, walking with him like this. A girl could daydream of a moment like this.

“I found a really nice spot up here. It’s cut off from the more crowded part of the beach. It was pretty empty earlier, hopefully, it still is,” he mumbled.

As we rounded a large stack of boulders, I realized he was right. You couldn’t actually see the other part of the beach because of all the rocks and tiny cliff. It was deserted, but I couldn’t understand why. The area was clean and had a beautiful view of the sunset. It made a perfect spot for a date, especially for a couple that didn’t exactly want eyes on them.

Harry sat the basket down on the sand and opened it, pilling a blanket out. “Here, let me help you with that,” I offered. I grabbed the bottom corners of it, our fingers brushing slightly, and backed up to stretch it out. Once it was placed on the ground, we both took a seat on it and started pulling out the food containers holding our dinner and setting them up on the blanket.

I laughed as Harry pulled a bottle of wine out, complete with two glasses and a bottle opener. “I know, I know. I thought of everything,” he laughed along with me. Handing me a glass and pouring himself one, he glanced over at me, smiling. “Thanks for doing this with me.”

Licking the wine off my lip, I smiled at him. “Thanks for asking me to come with. Although this is a lot for just ‘taking some pictures.’ Still, I would have just been bored back at the house.” I shrugged and took another sip from my glass.

We fell into a comfortable silence as we ate. Here and there we’d talk about light, funny things. Harry listened as I chatted about my upcoming work, and I eagerly took in all he had to offer on the subject of his photography. He didn’t know it, but I was probably one of his biggest fans, always rooting him on from the sidelines.

After finishing up the pasta he had brought us and storing the empty containers, Harry pulled out one last container. This one was deeper and wider. He handed it to me, a huge grin on his face. “What is this?” I asked hesitantly. He proceeded to place it in my hands not saying anything.

I took the lid off and looked up at him in utter excitement. “Your favorite, right?” I nodded eagerly as he pulled out a chocolate covered strawberry, offering it to me. I bit my lip, shyly leaning in and taking a bit from it. Harry’s eyes go wide as I let out a happy sound, one I can assume probably sounded more sexual then it should have. I wiped away the little bit of juice on my lip and looked away blushing.

I cleared my throat and looked back at Harry. “This is really sweet of you, Harry. Thank you.” He smiled back at me, taking a bite of his own strawberry. I looked at my hands, wine glass in the left one, then down to the container of strawberries. “Harry. This is obviously more than just a hangout.”

His chewing stilled, a loud gulp coming from him. “What do you mean?”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “Is this a date, Harry?” I was met with silence. When I didn’t hear anything for a straight minute, I slowly opened my eyes. Harry was staring at me, a mix of emotions on his face.

“Would it be so bad if it was?” he asked quietly. I shook my head quickly and grabbed his hand.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted something like this. I was too afraid to make a move though. You’re my best friend’s brother. He would be pissed if he knew about this.” Harry nodded and sighed in relief.

“I really like you, Toni. I have since Tom introduced us. You blew me away-” I cut him off with a laugh and quickly covered my mouth when he looked at me.

“Didn’t you have a girlfriend when we met? And like for the next year?” I laughed a little, pulling my hair behind my ear.

“Well, yeah. But what was I supposed to? Tom would murder me if I tried to get with you. I was so into you though. You stood there in front of me, your brown curls wild and all over the place. Don’t get me wrong, I love the pink you have now. But you looked so innocent back then. Tom aside, I didn’t think I had a chance with you. I figured you saw me as a dorky younger brother. I know our age gap isn’t insane, but it's enough to make me worry.”

I laughed at this, tears springing to my eyes. “We are so dumb, Harry.” I choked on a laugh and took a moment to try and compose myself. Taking a deep breath, I continued. “Harry, I’ve liked you probably just as long. I thought you only saw me as an older sister. Never did I think I was your type.”

Harry smiled at me, an infectious smile that made me grin back. “Really?” I nodded. “Wow,” he mumbled, happiness shining through his tone.

I watched as the sun slipped down, reminding me of when I had fallen for the younger man in front of me. “Ya know, Harry, I fell for you on a night a lot like this. Only, we were in your parent’s backyard instead of a beach. You were filming your brother flipping around, and I couldn’t help but fall for the smile you had every time you’d play it over. It was beautiful.”

Harry blushed at my reveal. I shook my head, smiling to myself. “I like you, Harry Holland. I have for some time. We are completely stupid for not doing this sooner.” I laughed a little and downed the rest of my wine. Harry’s hand covered mine, the other pulling my glass out of my hand.

When I looked up, I was greeted with a steamy, but sweet, stare from him. Harry inched his lips closer to mine. “I like you too, Toni,” he breathed against my lips. I closed my eyes and let him draw me closer to his body, fully melting our lips together.

His hand held my face, the other holding my waist as our lips moved together in perfect harmony. Though there was an undeniable tinge of lust coursing through my veins, the kiss was the opposite. It was pure and gentle, intimate, but not sexual. Kissing Harry felt like sipping on a glass of sunshine. It was warm and enveloped all my senses, leaving me putty in his arms. Butterflies sang in my belly as his hands held me close.

I sighed into the kiss, feeling as if I had finally come home. As I pulled away from Harry, I breathlessly chuckled against his lips. The younger boy smiled and pressed his lips to mine one more time, this one much briefer.

We sat there in silence, listening to the ocean. The moon was out, full and beautiful, shining down on us. I peered at Harry through my lashes, wondering how in the hell I had gotten so lucky to have him by my side. Harry looked down at me, something new shining in his eyes. Is that admiration? I giggled and laid my head on his shoulder, his arm tightening around me.

“We’re not saying anything to Tom,” he declares.

“Well, at least we can agree on that.”

**Author's Note:**

> 8/27/19 This story is on hold as I have been planning out the direction I want this to go.  
> I will update Summer Lovin' every Sunday at 11 pm CST. Thank you for your views and I hope you all enjoy it.  
> Please don't hesitate to leave a comment with suggestions on how to better this story, what you'd like to see, or just what you liked about it!


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